January 12,
2016, Kim’s Weekly Garden Newsletter © Kim Willis
And then winter
comes, all cold and blustery
Sharp as a sword
Reflected light,
harsh and hard
Brittle white and
green gone brown
She felt it in her
hand,
The hardness of life
Closed her eyes,
felt its faint breath
The promise of
warmth, green and tender days
Stealing up softly -
seed
≈Kim Willis≈
Hi Gardeners
Just trying my hand at being mystical.
Outside my window the snow is blowing sideways and the little birds are
clinging to a swaying bird feeder. What
better day to slip into the world of dream gardening?
We had to have winter of course, but hopefully it will be short and merciful. I trudge outside in layers of clothes twice a
day, in those hated boots, hauling buckets of warm water to the barn. I think about warmer climates- people I know
in warmer states showing me pictures of flowers and fresh vegetables. Then I pull out the garden catalogs and make
my lists and plans. Thank goodness for
houseplants, I need the green and cheerful colors from them.
The eucomis (pineapple lily) Sparkling Burgundy that I brought inside to
the unheated porch is putting out new shoots.
My other eucomis always goes dormant and I just leave it sit in the pot
until it starts growing again in late spring- then I carry the pot back out and
sink it in the ground. This one has kept
growing. It’s quite pretty in bloom and
I recommend it.
My water lily is also sprouting new leaves. I have it in a bucket on the porch – with water
just to the top of the pot. It went
dormant, which I expected it to do, but now I see two tiny leaves poking
up. We’ll see how that goes. If I had room I’d bring it inside and see if
I could get it to bloom early.
Maybe the plants know something we don’t.
Gardening you
can do in January
Check your outside trees and shrubs and protect them from deer, vole and
rabbit damage if you haven’t already done so.
A barrier around the plant of small wire mesh, 3 feet high is
recommended for the trunk. If deer eat the
tops of evergreens surround them with a barrier of deer netting. If you can’t get poles in the ground you can
drape it over plants.
Fruit trees and grapes can be pruned this month, if you are good with
cold weather.
Cut up live, discarded, Christmas trees.
Use the branches to cover perennials or chop them into smaller pieces
and compost. If you have a large pond
with fish throw the trees in or on the ice.
They make good spawning spots for fish.
Keep the bird feeders full.
Build new planters, birdhouses and other garden crafts. Paint old garden accessories new colors.
Check the houseplants for signs of insects or disease. Trim off dead leaves and dust leaves if
needed. Rotate plants next to windows to
keep them growing straight. Start
cuttings or root leaves from houseplants like jades, aloes, Christmas cacti,
African violets, Rex begonias, spider plant, pothos and other vining plants.
Start tuberous begonia bulbs inside in a warm place. They need plenty of time to mature and start
blooming before the last frost in spring.
Check summer bulbs and tubers in storage.
If any are soft and molded, discard them. If they look shriveled add a little moisture
to the material you are storing them in.
New plants to
try this year
I hope one
of your garden resolutions was to try some new plants in the garden this
year. Here's some suggestions.
Edelweiss Credit 280808 by Bernd Haynold wikimedia commons |
Edelweiss – (Leontopodium alpinum)-the white flowers of this plant
mimic the snowcapped mountains of Europe and Asia it originates in. Edelweiss has a lot of cultural significance
and folklore attributed to it and is now an endangered, protected plant in most
of its native range. It is also used in
herbal medicines and is being studied for its UV absorbing qualities.
Edelweiss
has wooly leaves and flowers; it is covered with fine white hairs as if to ward
off the cold. It blooms in late summer,
the small white flowers which look like two stars laid on each other are
actually sepals. The true flowers are
the yellow structures in the center of their wooly blanket. There are a few cultivated varieties with
fuller, larger flowers.
Edelweiss
is an alpine plant, low growing and good for rock gardens or wall crevices that
appreciates poor, alkaline, gravely soil. It
needs full sun, is considered to be a short lived perennial and is hardy in
zones 3 through maybe 7.
Lily of the Valley Tree (Oxydendrum arborum) This is the US
native tree, there are two other trees by the same common name that are not
native or closely related. It is also known
as Sourwood. It is hardy to zone 5b-
that is marginally hardy in Lower Michigan.
But if you can get it to grow, it’s well worth the risk.
Lily of the
Valley tree is a small tree, attractive in several seasons. It has long clusters of nodding white bell
shaped flowers in mid-summer that are very fragrant and attract bees by the
drove. In fall it has brilliant scarlet
color that is long lasting. The bark is
reddish and the tree’s shape is attractive in winter.
The Lily of
the Valley tree will grow in full sun or partial shade. It can be kept pruned to a large bush
form. It prefers moist, acidic soil.
Sourwood has herbal uses too.
Honeyberry |
Honeyberry- (Lonicera caerulea) With the popularity of edible
landscaping this berry has become a little better known. It’s a member of the honeysuckle family and
has typical honeysuckle type flowers of yellow white in very early spring. It can grow as a vine or small bush,
depending on variety. You need two
separate varieties of Honeyberry to get fruit.
Honeyberries
are long and deep blue. They are well hidden
by the foliage, growing under the leaves and so escape bird bites easier than
other berries. The taste is bland-sweet
but they can be turned into jelly or eaten fresh. The plants are extremely
hardy – to zone 3- and will grow in sun or partial shade in almost any soil.
I’ll
explore more unusual plants next week.
Garden catalog and on line
shopping tips
The catalogs should have been arriving at your home by now, if not last
week’s newsletter had a list of catalogs you could ask for. If you intend to buy from a catalog or on
line now is the time to start shopping.
Many catalogs are offering discounts for early orders. Besides getting a discount ordering early
helps assure you get the plants you want.
Many people fill out the order blanks in the print catalogs and then use
them to place a fast on line order. Some garden stores will have varieties of
plants available only on line or may offer special deals for on line shoppers
so it pays to peruse the on line site before you place your order.
There is one warning here. Not all
garden stores ship plants by who ordered first.
Some start shipping plants out to the first area that is suitable for
planting, usually southern zones. By the
time its warm enough for shipping to your zone, a plant that you ordered in
January may be out of stock. Many garden
stores don’t charge your credit card until the item ships, so they don’t worry
about having to give refunds. If you
really, really want a plant that might be in short supply contact the company
and ask if you purchase it while it’s still in stock if you will be guaranteed
to get it.
Another thing to check is whether the company can substitute a variety in
stock for one you ordered that goes out of stock. Most sellers will ask if that’s ok and some
even let you put in a second choice. But
some garden stores have that clause in small print and it’s the default unless
you opt out. If you would be unhappy
with a substitute for something you ordered check the order form carefully before mailing in your
order or checking out on line.
For best results, try to order from catalogs and on-line stores that are
growing their plants in the same growing zone you are in. Look for garden stores that provide some sort
of guarantee, at least a safe shipping guarantee. Catalogs should also give
cultural tips. They should also list plant height, width, light and moisture
requirements, bloom color and time.
What’s in a
name?
Good seed and nursery catalogs furnish the Latin name of the plants they sell
for all but the most common plants.
That’s because common names can be confusing. People may think that butterfly plant is
milkweed or Asclepias or you may think you are buying buddleia. And there are
even more species that have butterfly in their common names. Sometimes giving a plant normally known by its
scientific name a fancy sounding common name will lead people to believe they
are discovering something new. Pay
attention to the scientific name of what you want to buy, even if it’s in small
print.
Don’t think that the term new means that the plant you are looking at in
a catalog is actually new in the plant trade.
It could be, but usually that term means it is new to that catalog and
is often sprinkled liberally throughout the catalog.
Another confusing trend in the plant trade is to re-name old plants whose
names are no longer trademarked. Take
Blaze rose, an old timer that is sometimes renamed with exotic names like
Crimson Kiss. While Blaze rose may seem
ho hum to you, Crimson Kiss piques your interest. Sometimes if you read the fine print the old
name may be mentioned, but there’s not much you can do if it’s not. Reputable, established companies are less
likely to fool you with things like this.
Color terms and especially color pictures are often deceptive. There are no true blue roses or
daylilies. Many other colors described
as blue are also shades of lavender or purple.
Peach is often really orange and some white flowers are actually pale
yellow. Compare the color descriptions of a certain variety you like in several
catalogs to get a better “picture” of the true color.
Fragrant is also a misused term.
It can be fragrant and not smell very good! It can be the foliage that’s
fragrant or the flowers. For example
marigold foliage has a very distinctive scent, which you may or may not
like. But the flowers are not fragrant.
When looking at close-ups of flowers, check the plant description to see
if the size of the flower is mentioned.
Some very tiny flowers are shown enlarged in catalogs but in the garden
are barely visible.
Comparing
costs
Compare prices in catalogs but make sure you are comparing apples to
apples. Check to see if the plant you
are comparing is being offered bare root or potted. Bare root plants are generally cheaper than
potted ones, but some plants survive shipping better in pots. If potted, what
size pot is offered? If the plant
offered is sold as a bulb, how big in circumference is it? How many years old are trees and shrubs?
Larger, older and better branched plants, bigger bulbs and larger sized pots
usually sell for more.
Saying a plant is number one size or grade is not very helpful if that
seller determines the grade. However
some plants have standardized measurements across the nursery trade that
determine grade. Most common bulbs are
graded by size and roses have standardized grades also. Pot sizes are pretty standard too, and can be
offered by volume, such as quart or gallon or by width, such as 4 inch or 10
inch pots.
The newer the plant is on the market the more it generally costs. If you can wait a few years the price will
come down and there will be more information available on the plant’s hardiness
and growth pattern. Often there is little
difference to the eye to any but the most experienced plant collector between a
new variety and an older, less expensive one.
If you like the colors of a new daylily for example but its $50 a
rhizome, check the catalog for a very similar looking older variety that might
sell for $10.
Buying generic plants can save you money.
Instead of buying named hostas or daylilies for example, buy a “pastel
assortment” or “assorted sizes and colors” hosta bundles. When offered by well-known, reputable
nurseries these collections by color or size can be a great way to get quality
plants at a good price. Also unnamed new
varieties of things like iris, daylilies etc. can give you interesting plants
at a good price.
Don’t forget to add shipping and handling costs to your price
comparison. This can vary widely from
nursery to nursery. Don’t use the number
of free gifts to base your decision on.
Most free gifts are junk and not worth very much.
Package
gardens and collections
While some catalogs do a good job of putting together package gardens, (various
plants all color coordinated and selected to do well together), beware of some
of these package garden deals. Make sure
the description lists the numbers of each plant or bulb and the sizes or grades
of those plants. It sounds wonderful to
get a complete perennial bed for only $12.95 plus shipping - 50 plants
guaranteed, until you see the 7 x11 manila envelope with 50 tiny dried up
sticks and bulbs in it.
Collections can be a good deal – often the catalog will read “one each of
all the plants on this page for x amount” usually a sharp discount per
plant. But do you need and want all the
varieties? Would you be better off just
to pick one or two varieties?
Collections that offer assorted varieties of something like hosta may be
just fine if you simply want to fill up a shady spot. But pay attention to the size of the plants
offered and then check to see what the price per plant is and compare it to
individual plants offered elsewhere.
Unless otherwise stated these collections are generally older, common
varieties of the species.
Package deals or collections that include a container are often quite a
bit more expensive than deals with plants only.
You may want to check locally to see if a similar container can be found
for less and just purchase plants by mail or on line. Usually that option is offered.
Starting your catalog and on line garden shopping early gives you plenty
of time to search out the best deals and the best plants. So forget the snow outside and settle in for
some serious garden shopping.
The damage
from gm crops is that it increases the use of pesticides
More research on GM crops (Penn State and the
Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture) suggests once again that consuming the crops
is safe – at least from the standpoint of the changes to the genes. But what is noted that GM plants that are
designed to be resistant to certain pesticides are then liberally exposed to
such pesticides- and pesticides then often drift to wild plants.
Plants modified to be pesticide resistant then carry more pesticide
residue – which is not good for us and when the pesticide drifts to flowering
plants bees and other pollinators pick it up.
This leads to pollinator decline and more pesticide residue being
introduced into our food supply. The new
GM plants are resistant to dicamba and 2,4-D, which are more harmful to us and
bees than the old glyphosate, Round-Up.
Also these pesticides may decrease the flowering of crops or native
species as well as the pollination of the remaining flowers, a double whammy.
Mosquitoes
need more than blood to eat
You may want to consider what types of plants you plant around water
features. Research (Journal of Medical Entomology) shows that at least one kind of
mosquito, the Tiger mosquito(Aedes albopictus), prefers to lay its eggs in
containers of water near blooming plants rather than in water without flowers
close. This mosquito carries several
human diseases, including chikungunya, a tropical disease spreading throughout
the US.
Mosquitoes need flower nectar to survive, as well as blood. Male mosquitoes need only flower nectar,
females need blood to produce eggs but also consume nectar. Young mosquitoes
just emerging from water fare better if a sugar source (nectar) is nearby. In the research mosquitoes were
attracted to buddleia but researchers say other nectar producing flowers should
be just as attractive. And other
research has shown that other species of mosquitoes are also drawn to flowering
plants.
If you plant flowers near small water features the water should have fish
in it to eat mosquito eggs and larvae.
You could also treat the water with Bt dunks to prevent mosquitoes – or dump
and replace water twice a week.
Growing herbs indoors
If you are a cook you know that the best tasting herbs are fresh ones,
plucked right from the plant just before using.
But if you live in a spot where herbs aren’t available in the garden
during the winter your source of fresh herbs is limited to what you can
purchase in a store - and those herbs are never the same as fresh picked. The good news is that some herbs can be grown
indoors during the winter either on a sunny window sill or under a grow light.
Not every herb is a candidate for indoor growing and the conditions in
your home will sometimes limit what you can grow also. If you have a cool (45-60F) but very sunny
spot you will have success with many types of perennial herbs. Other herbs, particularly annual ones, like
warmer temperatures similar to the ones we are comfortable in. All common herbs
need good strong light so if you don’t have a south facing window, (and it
doesn’t have to be a kitchen window), you may need to supplement your light
with a grow light. A few herbs may grow
fairly well on a west facing window sill.
Some herbs are perennials and they can be grown in pots that are set
outside in the summer and returned to the house in the fall each year. Most perennial herbs do best in the cooler,
sunnier environment mentioned above.
They will rest during the winter for a few months but can still furnish
you with fresh leaves for cooking. A
sunny unheated porch or sunroom or an unused room where the heat is turned down
are excellent places for most perennial herbs.
If you don’t have a sunny window sill you can use a grow light to keep
your herbs healthy. It will need to be
about 18 inches above the top of your herbs.
, others like warmer temperatures similar to the ones we are comfortable
in.
Herb varieties
for indoors
Chives are one of the easiest herbs to grow on a window sill. They can do well on a south or west facing
window sill. Chives can be started from
seed in late summer for indoors use or you can dig a clump from the garden in
fall and pot it. Chives are sometimes
sold in pots in the produce section of stores too. You can put chives outside in the summer in
the pot or plant them in the ground. They are hardy perennials and can survive
winter outside in most areas of the country.
Chives grow best in cool conditions but will do all right in warmer
rooms.
Don’t over water chives inside; let them dry a bit between watering. In March you can fertilize the pot of chives
lightly to promote flowering. You can
snip the chive leaves off for cooking at any time but try to remove less than a
third of the plant at a time. Chive’s purple
flowers are also edible.
Mustard and watercress are herbs that are sometimes grown to sprinkle on
salads and other dishes for a tangy zip of taste. Mustard and watercress are grown from seeds.
The seeds can be mixed together or sown separately. You harvest these plants while they are young
and tender shoots so you need to make several sowings each winter. Simply fill shallow trays with a good potting
medium that has been well moistened, sprinkle on the seeds and press down
lightly so they have contact with the soil.
Cover the tray with a plastic bag and place it in a warm spot until the
plants sprout. After the seeds sprout
remove the bag and put the trays in a sunny window or under grow lights.
Mustard and watercress prefer cooler, sunny areas. Keep them moist but not sitting in
water. Trim or pinch off leaves when the
plants have several sets of them. You
can also pull the whole plant and trim off the roots before using. Start a new batch of seeds about 2 weeks
after the first one sprouted so you will have a continuous supply. Discard the first batch as the new one gets
ready to harvest. These plants do not do
well indoors as they get larger and can’t be transplanted outside with good
results.
Rosemary is a delightful evergreen, perennial herb. In planting zones 6
and higher it is hardy outside in the garden through the winter. In some mild dry winter climates you could
harvest it from the garden all winter. However
for those gardeners who live in zone 5 and lower and those who have snowy wet
winters you will need to pot a plant and bring it inside for the winter. Rosemary
is often sold around Christmas in pots sheared to look like a small evergreen
tree.
Rosemary needs a cool, sunny place to do well indoors. Let it dry out between watering. You can place the pots outside in the summer
and keep your plant for many years. It
will often bloom indoors in late spring or even in the fall just after you
bring it in. Repot the plant each spring
before you put it in the garden, give a light dose of fertilizer and watch it
get bigger each year.
Snip or pinch off young leave tips from your rosemary and never remove
more than a few sprigs at a time.
Rosemary is used to flavor meat dishes, soups and stews and sprinkled on
bread dough before baking.
Thyme is another perennial herb that can be grown in a pot in a cool,
sunny area inside for winter harvests and placed back in the garden each
spring. Make sure to get a culinary
type of thyme, there are dozens of ornamental varieties. Let it dry between watering and keep it
trimmed fairly short inside. Harvest
young leaves or whole tender shoots.
Thyme is used on meats and in soups and stews.
Thyme |
Bay and lemon verbena are tender perennials that form shrubs or small
trees in warm climates. In cold
climates, planting zones 8 and lower, they need to be potted and placed outside
only after the danger of frost has passed.
These two make pretty houseplants and prefer warmer, sunny rooms. Leaves are plucked off and used as needed.
Basil is sometimes grown inside. However it is somewhat finicky and prone
to disease. It is started from
seed. It likes warm, sunny conditions
and should be kept evenly moist.
Parsley also does better outside but may do fairly well in a cool, sunny
place inside. It is slow to germinate so
start seeds in late summer in pots for indoor use. Discard these plants in the spring.
Sage and oregano have been grown in the house but don’t always do
well. They need a cool but sunny spot
and to dry out between watering. Make sure
to get culinary (cooking) types of sage or oregano. Start with small seedling plants in the
fall. You can transplant these into the
garden in the spring but start with new young plants every fall for indoor use
as younger plants adjust better to indoor conditions.
Mints of various flavors will grow satisfactorily in the house. As with sage and oregano start with young
potted plants each fall. They can be
grown in hanging baskets. Cool, sunny
conditions are best and keep them pruned or pinched back to prevent them from
getting straggly. Let them dry between
watering. They can be transplanted to
the garden in the spring.
If you have other herbs that you favor in cooking you can always try to
grow them inside. Even if they survive
only part of the winter you will have extended your fresh herb
availability. Some medicinal herbs, such
as catnip and chamomile can also be grown inside but results vary as many of
these prefer a cold winter rest.
It’s a good day for cocoa and
popcorn
Kim Willis
“He who has a garden and a library wants for
nothing” ― Cicero
Events, classes and other offerings
Please let me know if there is any event or class that
you would like to share with other gardeners.
These events are primarily in Michigan but if you are a reader from
outside of Michigan and want to post an event I’ll be glad to do it.
Do you have plants or seeds you would like to swap or share? Post them here by emailing me.
Free seeds
I have
these seeds that I collected from my garden that I am willing to share
free. Look at the list and if you would
like some contact me at kimwillis151@gmail.com
I will tell
you where to send a stamped self-addressed envelope for the seeds. If you want
popcorn or black walnuts it will take several stamps. I have published this list on the seed swap
sites also. I’ll try to give everyone
who asks some until they are gone.
Lilies, a
seed mixture of assorted hybrids, oriental- Asiatic- trumpet- Casa Blanca,
Stargazer, La Reve, purple tree, yellow tree, Silk Road, more
Anise
hyssop
Morning
glory – common purple
Scarlet
runner bean - few
Japanese
hull-less popcorn
Hosta
asst.of seed from numerous varieties- lots
Ligularia
desmonda (daisy–like flower)
Ligularia
rocket – spires of flowers
Yucca
Glad mixed
Zinnia
mixed
Foxglove
Dalmation peach
Calendula mixed
Baptisia
blue
Jewelweed
Cleome
white
Columbine
mixed- small amount
Nicotiana
small bedding type- mixed colors
Nicotiana
sylvestris (woodland tobacco, Only the Lonely)
Daylily
mixed
Kangaroo
Paws orange
Hollyhock
mixed
Black
walnut- few hulled nuts
An
interesting Plant Id page you can join on Facebook
Here’s a
seed/plant sharing group you can join on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/875574275841637/
Here’s a facebook page link for
gardeners in the Lapeer area
New-Seven
Ponds Winter Fest Saturday, January 30, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Join us for
our annual winter fun day. Included is a bonfire on the ice, ice cutting,
mammal tracking, snowshoe walks, cross country skiing, and ice skating. Inside
will be children’s crafts and bring a t-shirt, sweatshirt, or pillowcase to
decorate with animal tracks. Programs on winter animals and ice cutting will
also be offered. Includes a campfire lunch of a hot dog, chips, and hot
chocolate too! Bring your own skates and cross country skis or try out the
center’s snowshoes. In case of snow and/or ice shortage, alternate activities
will be planned. The Stingers will hold a bake sale and a used book sale.
Please sign in and get stamped upon arrival. Fee: $3.00 per non-member and free
for members. Groups are welcome with advance registration (by January 24) by
calling the nature center. Address:
3854 Crawford Rd, Dryden, MI 48428 Phone:(810) 796-3200
Here’s a
link to all the nature programs being offered at Seven Ponds Nature center in
Dryden, Michigan. http://www.sevenponds.org/
New-Grand
Rapids Smart Gardening Conference 2016, March 5, 2016, 9
a.m. - 4 p.m. DeVos Place, Grand
Rapids, Michigan
Several
speakers on native plants, low impact/care gardening, pollinators. More info-
Cost: Early
Bird Registration by Feb. 15, 2016 - $60, Late Registration - $70 Enrollment deadline
is Friday, Feb. 26, 2016 or until full. Registration at the door is not
available.
Contact:
Diane Brady, bradydi1@anr.msu.edu, 616-632-786
New- Great
Lakes Hosta College, March 18-19, 2016, Upper Valley Career Center in Piqua,
Ohio.
Students
attend 5 classes they have chosen from a program of over 70 classes taught by a
faculty of approximately 50 volunteers. Mid-day each student has lunch from a
delicious buffet included in the registration fee. At the end of the day
students take a brief break and then return for a banquet and talk that
concludes the Hosta College experience.
The vending
area offers a large selection of plants (even though it may be snowing
outside!), garden accessories, tools, and other garden-related merchandise for
shoppers. The Bookstore features gardening books at fantastic discounts,
stationery, society clothing items, and other Hosta College souvenirs. Persons
who belong to one of the local societies with membership in the Great Lakes
Region receive preferential registration and a reduced registration fee. $42 registration fee for members, $55 registration
fee for non-members.
******************************************************************************
Here’s a link to classes being offered at Campbell’s Greenhouse, 4077 Burnside Road, North Branch.
Here’s a
link to classes and events at Nichols Arboretum, Ann Arbor
Here’s a
link to programs being offered at English Gardens, several locations in
Michigan.
Here’s a
link to classes at Telly’s Greenhouse in Troy and Shelby Twsp. MI, and now
combined with Goldner Walsh in Pontiac MI.
Here’s a
link to classes and events at Bordines, Rochester Hills, Grand Blanc, Clarkston
and Brighton locations
Here’s a
link to events at the Leslie Science and Nature Center, 1831 Traver Road Ann
Arbor, Michigan | Phone 734-997-1553 |
http://www.lesliesnc.org/
Here’s a link to events at Hidden Lake Gardens, 6214
Monroe Rd, Tipton, MI
Here’s a
link to events and classes at Fredrick Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids Mi
http://www.meijergardens.org/learn/ (888) 957-1580, (616) 957-1580
Newsletter
information
If you would
like to pass along a notice about an educational event or a volunteer
opportunity please send me an email before Tuesday of each week and I will
print it. Also if you have a comment or opinion you’d like to share, send it to
me. Please state that you want to have the item published in my weekly notes.
You must give your full name and what you say must be polite and not attack any
individual. I am very open to ideas and opinions that don’t match mine but I do
reserve the right to publish what I want.
I write this
because I love to share with other gardeners some of the things I come across
in my research each week. It keeps me engaged with local people and
horticulture. It’s a hobby, basically. I hope you enjoy it. If at any time you
don’t wish to receive these emails just let me know. If you know anyone who
would like to receive these emails have them send their email address to
me. KimWillis151@gmail.com
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